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Adynaton was a widespread literary and rhetorical device during the Classical Period. In the Eclogue of Plutarch, there is a long list of proverbs and the first section is titled ΠΕΡΙ ΤΩΝ ΑΔΥΝΑΤΩΝ, consisting of proverbs that are built on adynaton.[4] The adynaton form was often used for vows and covenants, such as in the 16th Epode of Horace, 25-34.

Its plural form (adynata) was translated in Latin as impossibilia. A frequent usage was to refer to one highly unlikely event occurring sooner than another:

One can expect an agreement between philosophers sooner than between clocks.

In Spanish: Cuando las vacas vuelen ("When cows fly"),[27] instead of "las vacas" the words "los chanchos" are also used, replacing "the cows" with "the pigs" or, in Spain (presumably) there could also be used Cuando las ranas críen pelo ("When the frogs grow hairs") [28]

in Swedish: två torsdagar i veckan ("two Thursdays in the same week"). It is also said as "two Sundays in the same week", but other weekdays are rarely used.[29]